All theater kids know the dreaded feeling that comes when a show finishes. The sudden sadness and confusion once you take your final bow and know you won't be entering the stage door each day anymore is like a deafening blow straight to the heart. But what are the signs of PSD? And once we have it, what are we actors and actresses supposed to do?

The first sign is relief.

All the countless hours of rehearsing and performances end and it seems life has new meaning. Once the stage is struck and the stage makeup and costumes are swapped for sweatpants and fresh faces, relaxation begins. It seems that for the first time in months, performers and crew alike emerge and see the sun again -- bright and promising, and vastly different than the glare of stage lights. It's nice to be home again.

But relief wears off after a while. Then comes confusion.

What are you supposed to do with all of your new free time? Suddenly your days have a massive chunk taken out of them; for the first few it's nice to replenish and marvel at all the time you have to reorganize your life. But soon you begin to wonder what you ever did before your show and how you're supposed to fill the hole it left.

Next? The sadness.

It could've been the best show or the worst, but either way, we all know the pain is going to hit. We all feel it, whether it's expressed in tears or simply locking yourself in your room to listen to your show soundtrack on repeat. Once it's over, all you can do is replay your favorite memories and scenes.

Here comes the gaping hole.

The days of relaxation are over and the confusion is in full throttle. But how do you fill the void that is left? There is no normal routine anymore. What was once 6 o'clock rehearsals and early morning vocal routines is now back to all work and no theatrics. It feels as if you'll never get out.

Finally the sun breaks.

There really is a light at the end of the tunnel. That light? An upcoming audition, of course. Suddenly we actors have found meaning again -- we have songs to prepare and monologues to recite in our bathroom mirrors. The prospects of long nights on a stage and a whole new story to tell an audience lights a fire in our hearts. We can't wait until we can perform again.

And then you find the cure.

And you're back! The blocking marks, stage cues and spike tape are once more all the eye can see. It's all yours once again. Every true theater kid knows that the only thing that can truly cure Post Show Depression is getting right back on stage. The calling to perform is like none other, so if you're feeling any of the following symptoms, just know that the best way to get out of your end-of-show funk is to step right into another one.